This was a special trip for me. I take lots of small trips that are fun and exciting, but only the special ones make it on this site. The reason this particular trip is so special is because it came at the end of a two year grueling Army assignment where I rarely had a day off, and the hours were insanely long. This five-day hill country trip was used to decompress and celebrate the completion of my Army mission!
I have ridden all over the country with the exception of the northeast (coming soon). The hill country of central Texas offers some of the finest riding in the country! This trip provided plenty of miles and smiles.
When I planned this trip I made it a point to keep the miles to a minimum each day. This was a ride to decompress, no need to pound out the miles. I wanted to take my time, take in all of that hill country beauty, and stop whenever I saw something cool. I think that’s what made this trip so special.
Day 1
It was early May, and the morning actually felt cool! What a perfect day to ride. May in central Texas can get pretty warm, but nothing like the heat of July-September. I had the 1986 Moto Guzzi California loaded up like a horse from the wild west. I had my tent, sleeping bag, and camping gear in a stuff sack strapped to the passenger seat. And the top box held my clothes and hygiene stuff. Today was going to be the most boring day of the trip, but I didn’t mind at all. After all, I’m on my motorcycle…what else can a guy ask for? I left the driveway around 7am, and headed due south. It was Saturday so the San Antonio traffic was light. I worked my way south through the city, and took a moment to appreciate the beauty of San Antonio…it’s a beautiful city indeed. I hopped on Hwy 281 south, and before I knew it San Antonio was in my rearview mirrors.
My first stop was the tiny town of Tilden…about 80 miles due south of San Antonio. I rolled into Tilden by mid morning, and stopped by the Shell station for gas and water. The Guzzi doesn’t have a gas gauge, so I have to go by distance. I’ll ride her for about 150-175 miles before filling her up again. I started with a little more than half a tank, and was surprised at how little gas the old Guzzi drank on the way down. After my short break, I headed east to check out Choke Canyon Reservoir. It’s a beautiful man-made lake that seemed to be a great fishing spot judging by the amount of folks out on boats and shore fishing. There are some beautiful ranches and farms in this area, and the spring bloom was in full effect. Calves were full of energy and frolicking near their mama’s, while the mama’s looked relaxed chewing their cud and watching their babies. There was plenty to eat this time of year.
Taking a break near Choke Canyon Reservoir
I started working my way north east. Taking back roads through the tiny towns of Kenedy, Nixon, Luling, and then started north west for my final destination of the day, San Marcos. It was mid afternoon when I pulled in to San Marcos. It’s always a zoo in this area thanks to a lot of new suburbs and shopping centers. I stopped by a Saltgrass Steak House and enjoyed a delicious steak. It was a good day of riding…even if it was only 220 miles. Tomorrow would be better. I would be entering the fun part of the hill country and riding through the beautiful town of Fredericksburg. I checked in to the hotel and watched a baseball game and relaxed until sleep took over.
Day 2
It was sunny and warm when I fired up the Guzzi. Today was going to be warmer than yesterday, and I was itching to get moving so the wind would cool me down. As usual, San Marcos was busy. Even on a Sunday morning the place was crawling. Folks heading to the shopping malls…lots of suv’s. I topped off the tank and once I cleared the many stop lights I was able to stretch the legs out on the Guzzi. I was heading northwest on Hwy 12 towards Blanco. Traffic was light, and the old Guzzi was humming along. It was perfect! Once I reached Blanco I headed down one of my favorite roads in Texas; Hwy-1623 which skirts along the banks of the Blanco River. It’s a slow and easy road with beautiful scenery!
Hwy-1623 is one of my favorite roads in Texas.
Despite having to get around a few slow moving RV’s and Sunday drivers, I really enjoyed that stretch of road. Eventually the road ends and dumps you unto Hwy-290, which is a busy multi lane highway that brings you into Fredericksburg. Fredericksburg is a neat little German town tucked in the hills. It’s a bit touristy but still quite enjoyable. I stopped and walked around for a while. Enjoyed some coffee and lunch, and admired a bunch of classic cars that were parked along the streets. Must have been some kind of classic car club out for a Sunday drive.
After getting my fill of the hustle and bustle of the tourists, I threw a leg over the Guzzi and hit the starter. She sprang to life and was ready to roll. I continued north west until I reached Junction, my planned stopping point for the night. This was the last night I was going to be staying in a hotel. It was only about a 180 mile day, but the first half was slow moving, and the long stop in Fredericksburg made it a solid day. I pulled into Junction around dinner time, and was looking forward to the next few days!
Day 3
Sleep was rough…sometimes saving money on a cheap hotel isn’t always the best option. Plus the room reeked like cigarette smoke despite the many “No Smoking” signs. Still, I knew today was fixing to be a great day. Today I would roll south into the heart of the hill country and tackle the twisted sisters. Plus I was going to be camping along the shore line of the beautiful Frio River…yeah, it’s going to be a perfect day! The Guzzi started without hesitation and seemed eager to roll…as if she knew where we were headed. I dropped her in 1st and rolled out of the dingy hotel parking lot. Good riddance! I headed south to the tiny village of Vanderpool…home of the Lonestar Motorcycle Museum. The museum is a neat little privately owned gem located right near the infamous riding roads known as the twisted sisters. They have an impressive collection of bikes, and the staff are very friendly!
The Lonestar Motorcycle Museum has an impressive collection of classic bikes.
After the museum I stopped by a little roadside cafe that’s designed for bikers. It was a quiet lunch and the burger was delicious! With a full belly and a fresh tank of gas, I headed out to tackle the twisted sisters. The twisted sisters is a loop that runs about 100 miles. It includes three Ranch Roads (RR) RR-335, RR-336, and RR-337. It is like the infamous Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee, but the Texas version. And in my opinion, superior to the Tail of the Dragon due to the simple fact that there are far less people riding the sisters. The roads twist and turn with a ton of hills. If you push too hard, you’ll pay the price. There are a whole mess of crosses along the sides of the road…silent reminders as to what can happen if you don’t respect these roads. But if you take your time and just enjoy the ride…you’ll be rewarded with one of the best rides in America!
Crosses and signs like this are found all over the place…warning riders to be safe.
I rode the Twisted Sisters until exhaustion. I was having a blast leaning the Guzzi and listening to the sound of that beautiful engine bouncing off the canyons and trees. The Guzzi was enjoying this day as much as I was! One thing about riding roads like these is that it’s easy to lose track of time. Before I knew it the sun was setting, and I was looking for a place to camp. There were no restaurants nearby so tonight was going to be a snack kind of night.
The beautiful Texas hill country sunset!
I finally pulled off next to the river. I had the place to myself with the exception of a camper van that was a little upstream from me. It was quiet and the temperature was perfect. I pitched my tent and set up my sleeping bag using a flash light, it was completely dark by the time I got everything set up. I ate a protein bar and some peanuts for dinner, and drank most of my water. It was important to stay hydrated out here. I crawled into my sleeping bag and fell asleep quickly. The burbling sound of the Frio River lulled me into a deep sleep.
Day 4
I woke up feeling refreshed and well rested. Funny how a hard ground can serve as a better bed than a crappy hotel bed! When I stepped out of my tent I was awe struck at the beauty of the river. It was almost dark when I pulled in last night…but in the morning light I could see what an awesome campsite this was.
Waking up to the burbling sound and the beauty of the Frio River!
I enjoyed the morning and walked around for a little while. But I was hungry and ready to eat after eating just a few snacks for dinner. Plus I was out of water. I loaded up the Guzzi and headed to the nearest town. I found a little cafe outside of Uvalde and enjoyed a simple breakfast. A few old folks were still enjoying their coffee when I strolled in. Their conversation was mostly about what plants they had in their garden…and how last week’s rain was good for the grass. I like these folks…hearty, honest, hard working, simple and God fearing. Since today was my last day to really enjoy the area, I made sure I hit every back road I could find.
The weather was perfect and the roads were empty.
Tonight, I had a reservation at a campground, and I didn’t plan on riding until dark. I wanted to set up camp early if possible and get some dinner to celebrate my last night on the road. In the meantime, I would run these old backroads and just enjoy the old Guzzi! I saw a lot of interesting sites throughout the day.
Interesting sites are found all over the hill country…here a massive oak tree is growing right in the middle of the road!
Plenty of small towns are found throughout the hill country. The smell of delicious BBQ is frequently experienced while riding a motorcycle down here.
My campsite was in the Garner State Park, just outside of Leaky TX. I worked my way towards the camp ground and pulled in to the Ranger station around 3 pm. I got my site and set up camp. I even got a chance to do a little hiking throughout the park. It’s a beautiful area and I can’t recommend it enough!
Garner State Park…home sweet home for the night.
Enjoying a little afternoon hike!
Following the hike I decided to ride into town for dinner and to top off the Guzzi. I ate at a local BBQ joint (when in Rome), and sipped sweet tea while the sun set. It was a great day! On the way back to camp I noticed a pretty little country church. I stopped for a bit and thanked God for my many blessings!
Thank you Lord! I’m a lucky man with more blessings than I deserve!
I rolled into my camp site after dark. Took a long hot shower, and crawled into my sleeping bag. Sleep came quickly and the mostly empty campground was quiet.
Day 5
The last day of motorcycle trips are always bitter sweet. You’re a bit sad that the adventure is coming to an end, yet excited to see the family again! I took my time breaking down camp…no need to hurry, I had all day to get home and it was only about a 2 hour ride. I figured I would get home just after lunch so I could beat the evening traffic. I loaded up the Guzzi and took one last look around…I would definitely be back!
The Guzzi is loaded up and ready to head home. What a great trip it was!
The two hour ride home was uneventful. I rolled the Guzzi into the garage around 1230pm…just as I had planned. I unloaded my gear and cleaned up the Guzzi. She ran great on this trip and I thanked her for the wonderful adventure!
Sport Touring Cycle Adventures 